More On Professor Anthony Elujoba; ‘The Village Chemist’

Professor Anthony Elujoba (in grey suit) after the Senate meeting today

Some moments ago, the emergency Senate meeting which was called to elect and recommend an acting Vice-Chancellor for the Obafemi Awolowo University has presented Professor Anthony Elujoba of the Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy as its nominee. According to reports, Prof. Elujoba won the in-house election with 201 votes ahead of Prof. Lamikanra, also from the Faculty of Pharmacy, who had 5 votes.

Prof. Anthony Adebolu Elujoba is a professor of Pharmacognosy at the Obafemi Awolowo University, a Royal Society of UK Research Fellow looking into Nigerian Medicinal plants, a Public Analyst (FDA) and recipient of numerous professional awards. He has served as acting head of Dept of Pharmacognosy, Dean; Faculty of Pharmacy, Chairman Committee of Deans, Chairman Faculty PG Committee/ Board of studies, Research and selection committee, member Faculty review panel, Senate Representative on OAU Teaching Hospital Management board, Member Management board of natural history museum and PG board and Dean's representative, Faculty of Technology. He is an external examiner at numerous university examinations.

Elujoba's involvement in research into medicinal plants has brought him into close association with persons living with HIV/AIDS who fondly refer to him as the 'village chemist'. He is also a strong advocate of the incorporation of medicinal herbal therapies into the national health care system. He is the President of the African AIDS Research Network, Nigerian Chapter and a Member, Board of Trustees of the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN). Earlier this year, he asserted his will for young people to take interest in exploring the unending benefits of nature. Elujoba chaired the the Seminar of the National Association of Botany Students, a part of events that marked the NABOS Week 2016.

Following the resolve of the school Senate to have Professor Elujoba as the acting Vice Chancellor, students and staff have been showing satisfaction as regards the progress made so far. Any moment from now, President Buhari is expected to make the official announcement of Elujoba as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution.

Breaking: Professor Elujoba Emerges OAU Acting Vice Chancellor

Professor Anthony Elujoba of the Department of Pharmacognosy, has just been voted by the Senate of Obafemi Awolowo University as the acting Vice Chancellor.

Read More On Professor Anthony Elujoba; ‘The Village Chemist’

Celebrating Matriculation At Home: The Tale Of OAU Freshmen

Like every other student who has just gained admission into a University; the joy of the newly admitted freshmen of the Obafemi Awolowo University knew no bounds as they eventually resumed on the 28th of May, 2016.

It was all smiles as they trooped into the campus, with their parents and guardians, with a view to having a ‘smooth’ stay on the Great Ife campus for the next four, five or six years depending on their respective course of study. Only a few of them could have predicted the current situation – an indefinite shutdown of their dream University, perhaps those who are familiar with the OAU stories. With less than a month in school, the freshmen were told to take a chill pill, only after some registration processes completed. So sad!

If we are to follow the original academic Calendar of the University, today – July 21, 2016 – is supposed to be the Matriculation Day for the freshmen. However, as it stands now, instead of the conventional Amphi Theatre ceremony, where they take the matriculation oaths, the freshmen are currently spending the day at various places, other than the spacious auditorium. Only if many knew “unofficial breaks” are not unusual, the shading of today in their calendar, notepad and dairies may not have been necessary.

The current situation continues to generate mixed reactions from the freshmen; while some believe it is their fate to have their first year spent this way, others believed it was a fault on the part of the University management. Whichever way, establishing the guilt on someone remains a difficult one for those OAU Peeps News Agency has spoken with so far.

In her own words, Elizabeth, a freshman, said “… I have kept myself busy that I hardly think about the break. I didn’t even know today was supposed to be our matriculation day.”

John, another freshman, was of a different opinion as he confessed the negative effects the break has had on him. “I keep thinking about it every day. Even when I tried not to, my immediate environment will not let me. Most of my friends are in school, even my siblings leaving only me at home doing nothing.” John opined.

“This could have been avoided, but the University chose not to. They are toying with our future, and it is really sad”, another heartbroken freshman poured.

However, the generality of Great Ife students are hopeful of an imminent reopening of the school, judging from some huge improvements made in recent days on the situation.

Ridwan A. Oyetunji

Who Will Emerge As OAU's Acting Vice Chancellor Today?

Among relevant stakeholders, the question of who emerges as the next top man of Obafemi Awolowo University may be the most popular question lately, and perhaps, a very difficult one for anyone to accurately answer. However, there is no doubt that a Professor will be recommended by the University Senate today to the Education Minister to become the university acting Vice Chancellor.

The University Senate comprises of Professors in the institution. Today's Senate will be chaired by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor O. Ajayi. So many names have been coming up in several media as to who may be the favourable candidate, which ever way, the President has warned that consideration should be restricted from those who initially vied for the Vice Chancellor position of the institution.

In the mean time, OAU Peeps News Agency has been able to gather reports of uneasy calm amidst several camps within the university stakeholders, as to will emerge as the acting Vice Chancellor. After the meeting today, the name and profile of the person chosen will be forwarded to the Minister of Education for onward transfer to President Buhari for approval and consequent announcement to the public.

#ReOpenOAU: Here Is What The Senate Was Briefed With Today

Today, the Upper Chamber of the Nigerian National Assembly finally discussed the continued closure of Obafemi Awolowo University.

Raising a Point of Order on the matter, Senator Babajide Omoworare representing Osun East Senatorial District intimated his colleagues that the institution has been shut for over a 100 days now.

In the lawmaker's submission, he noted that the shut down was owning to three major concerns including:

1. NASU and SSANU strike due to welfare related issues

2. School closed due to issues of hygiene and sanitation caused by workers union.

3. The process of selection of the Vice-Chancellor and the dissolution of the Governing Council

Prior to today's sitting, Omoworare said he had engaged the Senate leadership and Minister of Education to seek for a solution to the crisis.

However, the Senate of the University is expected to sit tomorrow, Thursday, from where the appointment of an Acting Vice Chancellor will be decided, as earlier directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

OAU Screening Application Deadline Extended To July 30

The deadline for the ongoing online Screening exercise for both UTME and Direct Entry Candidates of the Obafemi Awolowo University has been extended till July, 30th 2016. This announcement was made on the University's e-portal a few moments ago.

ERC Condemns OAU Exorbitant Admission Screening Charges

The 'Education Rights Campaign', Obafemi Awolowo University chapter has condemned the fees charged by the management of the institution for the 2016 admission screening.

In a Press Statement issued and signed by its Coordinator, Olamide Adabale and the Secretary, Omole Ibukun, the group described the charges as exploitative and does not reflect the FG's essence of scrapping Post-UTME. It however urged the students to reject the fee scheme.

"It is also necessary to note that this exorbitant amount defeats the essence of the scrapping of the exploitative Post-UTME exercise, for which OAU charged about N7,700 last year on aspirants. Aside the exploitation shielded with a mysterious ICT development fee and screening exercise fee, the short time frame given for the payment is an outright victimization on the Nigerian working masses. In fact, we could have recommended that students should boycott the payment of such illegal fee, but the economic state of the country already prescribed it for the parents and guardians who happen to be majorly the unpaid, underpaid Nigerian working masses.

"It is on this basis that the Education Rights Campaign is conscientizing conscious students, especially aspirants, to reject this mortgage of a future they have been patiently waiting for. All illegal fees collected must be refunded. We believe that Education is not a business, but a right of every Nigerian and therefore admission for Tertiary Education should not be commercialized." the group stated.

It will be recalled that Obafemi Awolowo University commenced its screening registration for candidates seeking admission into the citadel last Friday. The charges levied on applicants amounted to a total fee of N6,850, which seems to be the highest screening charges by institutions seen so far. Most schools that have announced their Screening exercise, charge between N2,000 - N2,500. According to the information from the Management of OAU, the screening charges include N1,500 for the Screening, N5,000 'e-Portal charges' and bank charges of N350.